What is Taking the Lord's Name in Vain?

Shared Values of the Old and New Testaments

The Universal Lawmaker (4) 

The Ten Commandments
3rd Commandment

Most identify the third commandment as meaning you are not to use the Lord’s name as a swear word (or as an adjective to a swear word).  This is true, but the commandment is a whole lot more. The Bible says those who belong to God are a reflection of who he is. He chose you before you chose him. You have direct access to God’s counsel in all matters.  Attempting to cloak and justify ungodly actions by attaching God’s name to them shows a willingness to hurt and destroy.  You attach his name and yours to what is false, deceptive or dark. This invites being called out as a hypocrite and this is one of the most destructive beliefs dogging those of faith and of helping others know God. Verse 7 says that God holds those who use his name in this way (in vain) accountable to him. When you know you are not   living up to and of God's ways, talk to him about it. He is faithful to forgive and to make it right for you and those you have harmed in this way. 

Exodus 20:7 (AMPC) 7 You shall not use or repeat the name of the Lord your God in vain [that is, lightly or frivolously, in false affirmations or profanely]; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

Colossians 3:17 (AMPC) 17 And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him.

9/13/2026

Mankind Created in the Image of God

 

Shared Values of the Old and New Testaments

 Humans Created in God’s Image

To be a human created in God’s image means each person is inherently connected to God.  He is your Creator and Father. You are able to act beyond instinct, choose right from wrong, think abstractly, have dominion over matters of this Earth, and create the kind of governments and families God can bless. You need to learn how to do these things, of course, but he has placed this in you. God grants dignity and value to each person, not by race, a parent’s wealth, social class or achievement. He equips you to work and live with others under these criteria. This is how you are made.  Whether you live up to these values and belief in God’s plan for you is determined by your faith in God and your willingness to work with Him.

Genesis 1:26-27 (NIV) 26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

James 3:9-10 (NIV) 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

9/6/2026

Admitting Mistakes and Sins

 

Shared Values of the Old and New Testaments

Forgiveness (2)

Some will never admit to mistakes or sin. The Old and the New Testaments speak of the cleansing effects of admitting your mistakes WHEN you simultaneously desire to never repeat them. Everyone, not just you, will always have the need to admit to sin and mistakes, even those you vowed never to repeat.  There is only one person who never sinned here on earth and you are not that person. You cannot be healed from the disastrous effects of mistakes and sins if you do not face up to them and share with God and those who can pray with you. These verses communicate the beautiful rewards when you seek forgiveness: The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results.

Proverbs 28:13 (TLB) 13 A man who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if he confesses and forsakes them, he gets another chance.

James 5:16 (TLB) 16 Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results.

8/30/2026

Each Generation

 

Shared Values of the Old and New Testaments

The Universal Lawmaker (4)

Do you know there are 2 times the 10 Commandments were given to Israel? One is Exodus 20:1-17 and presented on Mount Sinai to those Moses lead out of Egypt. The other is Deuteronomy 5:6-21, given to the the second generation of those present at Mt. Sinai. The Old and New Testaments emphasize passing spiritual law and understanding to each generation. It is not a transfer by osmosis or assuming your example is enough. It is active, conscious teaching, as seen today in church and temple communities, structured scriptural study, social activities, and parental relationship.

Psalm 78:5-6 (NIV)  5 He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, 6 so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born and they in turn would tell their children. 

Ephesians 6:4 (AMPC) 4 Fathers, do not irritate and provoke your children to anger [do not exasperate them to resentment], but rear them [tenderly] in the training and discipline and the counsel and admonition of the Lord.

8/23/2026

No Other Gods Before Me

Shared Values of the Old and New Testaments

The Universal Lawmaker (3) 

The Ten Commandments

2nd Commandment

Faith and behavior is a legacy you pass on, whether you know it or not. Putting God above “idols” is the legacy you want. In Bible times, idol worshiping was the norm, and God made it clear that it would only lead to ruin. To be fair, idol worshiping is as common today as it was then. You may not bow down to a golden calf, but you and God know your thoughts and resulting behavior. Today, you have unlimited access to learning God’s way.  Yet, without the plethora of information available today, the new Christians in Corinth got it right - placing God above past idolizations (addictions, darkness and all manner of sin) makes a huge difference in you and those around you. He is faithful to work with you as you ask.

Exodus 20:4-6 (NLT) 4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. 6 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.

1 Thessalonians 1:8-9 (NLT} 8 And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don’t need to tell them about it, 9 for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God.

8/16/2026

I Am the Lord Your God

 

Shared Values of the Old and New Testaments

The Universal Lawmaker (2) 

The Ten Commandments

1st Commandment

Both testaments are consistent that if you want to escape the “place of your slavery” and live freely, you go to God. He is the one who rescues you from your “Egypt.”  In practice, you learn God’s ways, check in with him as you go about your day, and listen for his direction. His voice is different than those you hear around you and you will learn to recognize it. He is for you and he needs your full attention when he works on your behalf.  You can trust that God knows the freedom that is best for you, whether it is where you live, who you love or what you do. 

Exodus 20:2-3 (NLT)  2 “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. 3 “You must not have any other god but me. 

1 Corinthians 8:5-6 (NLT)  5 There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. 6 But for us, There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created and through whom we live.

8/9/2026

Choose Life

 

Shared Values of the Old and New Testaments

Objective Standard of Good and Evil

 

God’s love is relentless to those who surrender to him. At the same time, Jesus said Satan is the ruler of this earthly world. The Old Testament used the term “life and death” as the choice you have to make. There is no way to navigate life here without trusting that God establishes who and what is evil and provides you with the information you need to understand the difference. The father of all lies does not care at all how heinous and horrifying his acts are as long as he gets what he thinks is a one-up on God. God is his target, you do not matter at all to him. 

Deuteronomy 30:15-16 (TLB) 15 “Look, today I have set before you life and death, depending on whether you obey or disobey. 16 I have commanded you today to love the Lord your God and to follow his paths and to keep his laws, so that you will live and become a great nation, and so that the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to possess. 

John 8:44 (TLB) 44 For you are the children of your father the devil and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning and a hater of truth—there is not an iota of truth in him. When he lies, it is perfectly normal; for he is the father of liars.

8/2/2026

Redemption

 

Shared Values of the Old and New Testaments

Redemption

God sent the people of Judah away for 70 years from the land they loved to be governed by their enemies. He promised them he would do that and he also promised they would be returned to their homeland when they were ready to ask for forgiveness of the sins that got them there. God is a God of redemption, grace, and mercy in the Old and New Testament. These scriptures show anyone with an honest desire to know God can BOLDLY go to him in any circumstance and be fully redeemed. 

Zechariah 10:6-7 (TLB) 6 “I will strengthen Judah, yes, and Israel too; I will reestablish them because I love them. It will be as though I had never cast them all away, for I, the Lord their God, will hear their cries. 7 They shall be like mighty warriors. They shall be happy as with wine. Their children, too, shall see the mercies of the Lord and be glad. Their hearts shall rejoice in the Lord. will be under my personal care.”

Hebrews 4:16 (TLB)  16 So let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive his mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need.

7/26/2026

Justice, Fairness and Compassion

Shared Values of the Old and New Testaments

Justice, Fairness and Compassion

In the Bible, “fatherless” is interchangeable with “orphans.” Now, as then, a home without a father is a home at risk. The Old and New Testaments are consistent in the values of spiritually and physically caring for widows, orphans, and the most vulnerable who are unable to do what is necessary to survive alone: God himself is a father to the fatherless and he gives justice to the widows. The world benefits, or suffers, depending upon the degree of partnership with God in addressing these issues. 

Psalm 68: 5-6 (TLB) 5 He is a father to the fatherless; he gives justice to the widows, for he is holy. 6 He gives families to the lonely, and releases prisoners from jail, singing with joy! But for rebels there is famine and distress.

James 1:27 (GNV) 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God, even the Father, is this, to visit the fatherless, and widows in their adversity, and to keep himself unspotted of the world.

7/19/2026

Shared Values - A Sovereign God (2)

Shared Values of the Old Testament and New Testaments

A Sovereign God (2)

In Gen. 50:20, Joseph is speaking to the brothers who threw him down a well and left him for dead. This is a serious crime no matter what century.  Abuse and murdering children are the most heinous of crimes today.  In the moments when he could have had his brothers killed by palace guards, Joseph speaks words of the sovereignty of God: God's plans are long term and eternal.  It takes time to understand how true this is, but Joseph shows it can be done.  

Genesis 50:20 (TLB) 20 …. God turned into good what you meant for evil, for he brought me to this high position I have today so that I could save the lives of many people. 

Ephesians 1:11 (TLB) 11 ……for as part of God’s sovereign plan we were chosen from the beginning to be his, and all things happen just as he decided long ago.

7/12/2026

Shared Values - The Sovereignty of God

Shared Values of the Old and New Testaments 
A Sovereign God

The Old and New Testaments show a God who created everything AND is active in what he created.  Leadership and influence (whether good in God’s sight or not) is in place because he allows it. You work with God to discern your standing and duties in it. It may be a time of speaking up or a time where you hold your tongue, but God knows the best and most valuable things you are to do. Daniel said that God alone determines events. You cannot know his plans for each person for all eternity, but you can know he replaces what the locusts have taken and that you are precious in his sight. 

Daniel 2:20-22 (TLB) 20 saying, “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for he alone has all wisdom and all power. 21 World events are under his control. He removes kings and sets others on their thrones. He gives wise men their wisdom and scholars their intelligence. 22 He reveals profound mysteries beyond man’s understanding. He knows all hidden things, for he is light, and darkness is no obstacle to him.

Acts 17:24-25 (TLB) 24 “He made the world and everything in it, and since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples; 25 and human hands can’t minister to his needs—for he has no needs! He himself gives life and breath to everything, and satisfies every need there is.

7/5/2026

Shared Values - Warfare

 

Shared Values of the Old and New Testaments

Warfare

Use your search engine to find the spiritual meanings of the names listed in Deut. verse 1. You will recognize every stronghold or weakness humans have ever had. They are as much your personal warfare today as they were when these scriptures were written. These verses say God will do the work as you recognize his mighty power is in you and HE will destroy their power over you. This is warfare, from the Garden of Eden to Revelation.

Deuteronomy 7:1-2 (TLB) 1 “When the Lord brings you into the Promised Land, as he soon will, he will destroy the following seven nations, all greater and mightier than you are: the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, the Jebusites. 2 “When the Lord your God delivers them over to you to be destroyed, do a complete job of it—don’t  make any treaties or show them mercy; utterly wipe them out.

Ephesians 6:10-12 (TLB) 10 Last of all I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand safe against all strategies and tricks of Satan. 12 For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.

6/28/2026

Shared Values - God is the Creator

Shared Values of the Old and New Testaments 

God is the Creator

God, speaking to Job in these verses, says humans cannot even fathom what is involved in the creation and maintenance of the physical and spiritual aspects of this earth. It is unreasonable to lack awe and a desire to know him. God is a holy Creator, not a random, angry, or punitive God. 

Job 38:4-9 (TLB) 4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. 5 Do you know how its dimensions were determined, and who did the surveying? 6-7 What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? 8-9 “Who decreed the boundaries of the seas when they gushed from the depths? Who clothed them with clouds and thick darkness?

Revelation 4:11 (TLB) 11 “O Lord, you are worthy to receive the glory and the honor and the power, for you have created all things. They were created and called into being by your act of will.”

6/21/2026

Shared Values - The Universal Lawmaker

 

Shared Values of the Old and New Testaments

The Universal Lawmaker

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob provided the laws that formed the basis for many laws today, criminal and civil. Concepts of fairness and legal accountability were codified in these laws. The idea that all should treat others with respect, regardless of their station in life, began in the Old Testament and was developed further in the New Testament. Everything that is good, for individuals and nations, come from these values. 

Jeremiah 31:31-33 (TLB) 31The day will come, says the Lord, when I will make a new contract with the people of Israel and Judah. 32 It won’t be like the one I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a contract they broke, forcing me to reject them, says the Lord. 33 But this is the new contract I will make with them: I will inscribe my laws upon their hearts, so that they shall want to honor me; then they shall truly be my people and I will be their God.

Romans 2:14-16 MSG) 14-16 When outsiders who have never heard of God’s law follow it more or less by instinct, they confirm its truth by their obedience. They show that God’s law is not something alien, imposed on us from without, but woven into the very fabric of our creation. There is something deep within them that echoes God’s yes and no, right and wrong…..

6/14/2026

Shared Values - Forgiveness

 

Shared Values of the Old and New Testaments 

Forgiveness 

God encourages his people to talk to him, learn his ways and seek forgiveness for sin. Both testaments affirm this over and over. God’s moral code is just, even if you have yet to understand all of it.  Verses in Isaiah and 1 John show God is forgiving and kind, even as he is an accountable God. They show he is not to be feared as he invites you to bring your sin issues to him.  

Isaiah 1:18 (NIV) “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

1 John 1:9 (TLB) 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. And it is perfectly proper for God to do this for us because Christ died to wash away our sins.

6/7/2026